Aircraft have been utilized for a long time to rescue pilots downed at sea as well as sailors or fishermen who have had to abandon a boat or ship. Fixed-wing seaplanes have speed, range, endurance and payload attributes; however, they cannot land or take off effectively in high sea states. Helicopters have the unique capability of being able to hover over or near the rescue site, and much work is being undertaken to provide helicopters with all-weather flying capability as well as speed, range and payload improvements. The one drawback associated with helicopter rescue operations at sea is the problem caused by the severe blowing action of the main rotor downwash. The victim to be rescued is frequently blown away or obscured while the helicopter hovers directly overhead. Some drownings have been attributable to the downwash. Apart from the downwash caused by the helicopter main rotor, it is difficult for the helicopter pilot to see the rescue line when it dropped behind him as for example through a floor hatch.
It is well known to lower a net on a line from a helicopter for the purpose of rescuing a victim. See for example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,036,315 granted to Karnow, U.S. Pat. No. 3,228,044 issued to Mattenson or U.S. Pat. No. 4,138,077 granted to Okumura. The prior art also reveals helicopter supported rescue capsules, or gondolas in U.S. Pat. No. 3,467,346 (Carson), U.S. Pat. No. 3,931,868 (Smith), and U.S. Pat. No. 3,934,847 (Bentivegna). U.S. Pat. No. 4,113,207 granted to David G. Dalziel on Sept. 12, 1978 shows an articulated boom helicopter rescue device for snatching a victim from a ledge of a building. The two-section boom has a centrally located pivot that permits the remotest section to pivot or fold downwardly and back toward the helicopter. Part of the boom always protrudes from the nose of the helicopter and the boom must be structurally fit to accommodate the weight of the rescue victim even if the load is for a short duration. Picking up the victim with the boom causes undesirable torques on the helicopter which the pilot must counterbalance.